1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a telephone apparatus such as a portable or mobile telephone, and in particular to a telephone apparatus having a communication history memory and an alert control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been proposed a telephone set having a communication history memory which is used to allow a user to check the communication history that is a sequential list of the calling and called times of day and the phone numbers of the other parties thereof. Accordingly, by requesting the communication history through an input device such as a keypad, the user is notified when communication was made with a certain person.
However, when the user forgets to check the communication history, a certain person who called to the user would be left in a state that no word has been heard in reply.
In Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Publication No. 8-181781, a voice mail system using a PHS (personal-handy phone system) terminal has been disclosed, which allows the user to check the status of its mailbox without telephoning the voice mail system. More specifically, when receiving a voice mail addressed to a subscriber, a service management office transmits an incoming-call occurrence notification, the incoming-call occurrence time of day, and the caller phone number of the incoming call to the PHS terminal of the subscriber. Based on the incoming-call occurrence time of day received from the service management office, the PHS terminal determines whether a voice mail that its predetermined hold time has elapsed exists in the mailbox. If such a voice mail exists, then the PHS terminal alerts the user by audible or silent alert to the presence of such a voice mail that its predetermined hold time has elapsed.
According to this conventional voice mail system, the user can be alerted about an incoming call only. Therefore, communication with a certain person cannot be ensured sufficiently.